AN 'EDIBLE road' of fruit trees sprang up in Forest Hill over the weekend in a bid to encourage home-grown fruit and veg.

There will be 75 potted apple, pear, plum and cherry trees dotted along streets such as Dartmouth Road and London Road for the next three weeks.

The launch event on Saturday (May 18) was to promote home growing in small spaces as part of alternative garden festival the Chelsea Fringe.

More than 50 Forest Hill businesses signed up to sponsor the trees including Winkworth's Estate Agents, Shannon's Garden Centre, The Horniman Museum, Sainsbury’s, and Canvas and Cream, plus local pubs.

Edible High Road Event co-organiser Anne Marie Parker said:

"The main message is to encourage people to grow their own fruit and veg even if they only have a small space.

"You can have an entire kitchen in a little space."

Hundreds of packets of seeds were given out to residents as well as 450 tomato plants donated from Dig This Nursery in New Cross at the launch.